Helping Lincoln
by fanviki
Summary: After the escape Lincoln is shot and Michael searched for medical help, instead of going to Nika he chooses someone else... This is a 2 chapter story, the next chapter will be up soon.
1. Chapter 1

Sara Tancredi was finally released from the hospital earlier that day. She knew she wasn't out of the hole she  
had dug yet, and wasn't even close, but she wished it was over. Sara never thought she's regret doing the  
right thing. Something she knew she would do again if she got the chance, she saved an innocent man from a  
terrible fate, in the process allowing 6 not so innocent men out.

Sara was sitting on her couch watching some TV, she didn't even know which one, not that she was paying  
attention anyway. Her mind was preoccupied with the paper crane in her hand. "_THERE'S A PLAN TO  
MAKE ALL OF THIS RIGHT"_ followed by a lot of periods. How could he possibly make any of it right. He's  
probably out of the country now, or at least that's what she had hoped. She wanted him and Lincoln safe, as  
long as the other escapees were caught. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see him again.

Suddenly she heard a knock on the door, which brought her out of her thoughts. She scrunched up her face,  
wondering who it could be. Sara slowly rose from her position on the couch and made her way to the front  
door. She didn't bother checking the peephole before opening the door. Speaking of the devil, was her first   
though, followed by confusion and rage upon seeing Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows on her doorstep.

Lincoln's hand was around Michael's shoulder, obviously being held up. There was blood on his leg, but she  
could tell Michael had tied it off.

"Wha..." But she didn't get a chance to finish that thought because Michael had already interrupted her with the answer.

"I need your help." Michael said taking a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak again. "Loo..."

"No." Sara said, shaking her head. Lincoln was looking between his brother and Sara. He knew he probably  
shouldn't say anything now, so he just remained silent, trying to breathe through the pain.

"Sara please..." Michael said, pleading with her. She shook her head.

"I can't. I've already done too much, I can't."

"You're the only one." Michael said, his voice almost breaking. He couldn't loose Lincoln, not like this. They  
came too far. Sara looked up at Lincoln, then back to Michael and the wound. She closed her eyes for a few  
seconds before opening them again.

"Bring him into the bedroom." She said quietly, but he heard her and stepped in immediately, brushing past  
her, as she closed and locked the door behind them. She leaned her forehead against the frame. "G-d help  
me."

Sara walked through her hallway into her bedroom where she saw Michael getting Lincoln to sit down on the  
bed, she heard him whisper to him. "She's gonna help you."

"How do you know she won't call the cops?" Lincoln asked with labored breath. "How do you know that's not what she's doing right now?"

"Because I trust her." Michael said firmly. Sara smiled when Michael said that but quickly pushed that away  
reminding herself that she was just going to patch him up and send them on their way.

"Ok." Sara said as she stepped inside closer to Lincoln, kneeling in front of him to take a look at his foot,  
Michael a few inches from her, not moving away from him brother. "What happened?" Sara asked, for the   
first time making eye contact with Lincoln.

But Michael answered instead of him. "The less you know the better."

"We're not in Fox Rivers anymore Michael, I need to know what happened." She said, looking Michael in the  
eye. And for the first time it was he who broke her gaze away. She could never maintain it, until now. She had  
won.

"We were running away from the cops and they were shooting at us." Sara nodded at Lincoln and looked   
away from Michael. Sara moved the shirt that was covering Lincoln's cut away, and bit her lip studying his  
wound.

"Did the bullet graze you or go in?" Sara asked Lincoln, unsure of the case because of so much blood.

"It went in." Lincoln answered with labored breathing.

"Can you help him?" Michael asked.

Sara shook her head, trying to get a better look wiping the blood away with the bloody t-shirt. "I don't know  
how much I can do without proper supplies here." She looked up at Lincoln. "Lincoln I don't have any  
equipment, no sutures, no pain meds?"

"I get that, Doc." Lincoln nodded.

"I'll do what I can." Sara said rising to her feet. "But I have to call someone for supplies."

Michael immediately rose, and paced the room. "No."

"Michael, I won't be able to do anything here. The best I can do is take out the bullet, and that's all I can give

you. And what does that guarantee? That he won't get an infection from the bullet, but that won't do much 

good if he bleeds to death." Sara finished finally lowering her voice. This was the first time she had ever stood  
up to him like that.

"It's too dangerous." Lincoln said. "We can't risk it." He said, looking up at Michael.

"Look, I have a friend who has a private clinic right by his house. I can ask him to get some supplies I'll need,   
he'll bring them and leave."

"Is he really that stupid that he won't question why you need the supplies in the middle of the night?" Michael asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, but he's always trusted my judgment, and I trust him." She said, matching his stare. "If I ask him to  
keep it between me and him, he will."

Michael looked over at Lincoln and he nodded before speaking. "You better use this. Untraceable." he said,  
giving her the phone.

"Thanks." She sad, rising to her feet before dialing the number. He picked up after a few rings.

"Hello."

"Hey, it's me."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but um, I need a favor." Sara said looking at Lincoln. "I need some supplies."

"What kind of supplies."

"The kind I'm sure you can get in your clinic."

"Well, you're lucky I'm still here. What do you need?"

"A suture kit, a lot of 4 x 4s, saline, surgical kit and any pain meds you can bring. Oh and sterile gloves."

"I'll try. I don't suppose you want to tell me why you need these supplies, do you?"

"Trust me, the less you know the better."

"Sara?."

"Please, just don't ask me something you know I can't answer." 

"Ok."

"Get it as soon as you can and bring it to my place."

"All I need is ½ an hour."

"Can you cut it to half that time?" 

"I'll try. See you soon." He said, hanging up the phone.

"He'll be here as soon as he can." Sara said hanging up the phone and hading it to Michael. "Let's get that wound cleaned up in the meantime." She said, as she walked toward the closet in the hall, right outside her bedroom, and took out a few towels. Next she went to the bathroom and filled a basin with warm water.

She walked back into the bedroom and set the basin on the floor next to the towels. She kneeled next to it, and wet the towel in the water. "This might sting." She said softly, in that doctor tone she used.

"Ahhhhh." Lincoln said as soon as the towel made contact with his skin.

"Sorry."

"Oh come on, stop being such a baby." Michael said lightly slapping Lincoln on his head.

"Hey you try being shot." Lincoln said with a hint of a smile on his face.

"Thanks, but I've already had 2 toes cut off." Michael said raising an eyebrow. Then he heard the knock on the door, and his face changed from somewhat light, considering the situation, to immediate worry.

"That's probably Jake." Sara said rising from her knees and walking toward the door. "Who is it?" She asked.

"Dude you called me." Came a response from the other side.

Sara smiled as she opened the door, and saw him standing there with a box, obviously filled with stuff. "Thank you so much." She said, taking the box from him and moving into her apartment. Jake followed closing and locking the door behind him.

"So, what's going on?"

"You don't want to know. Trust me." Sara said, turning back to him.

"Whose life are you saving that you can't bring them to the hospital?" Jake asked.

"Look I really appreciate you doing this, but?."

"Sara." Jake was looking straight past her, she looked back and saw Michael standing there. "Do you?."

"I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Jake asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Sara, what the hell are?.."

"Look, thanks for the supplies, but you should go now."

"I'm not leaving you here alone with him."

"You don't have a choice here." She said as she turned to Michael and handed him the box. "Bring that into the bedroom." Michael took the box and with a final look at Jake he turned and walked into the bedroom. 

Sara turned back to Jake, but he was too fast. He brushed past her and walked into the bedroom. "Jake."

"What happened?" Jake asked kneeling in front of him.

"Jake don't get yourself into this." Sara said from the doorway.

"I'm not leaving you alone with them." He said then looked back at Lincoln. "What happened?"

"GSW to the leg." Sara explained for him and kneeled next to him opening the box, and starting to get through it. "You can still walk out on this." She whispered to him.

"Thanks, I think I'll stay." He said as he snapped a pair of gloves on.

"Ok Lincoln I'm going to put you to sleep." Sara said.

"Do you have to?"

"It's the best way to deal with the pain. This way you'll be out so you won't feel a thing, and that's when the body's best at healing itself."

"Then do whatever you got to do."

Sara and Jake got to work on Lincoln's leg. Michael just sat and watched the whole time. Every once in a while  
he glanced over trying to catch Sara's eye, but she wouldn't meet his. She was too concentrated on the task in  
front of her. One thing Michael couldn't help but wonder was who this Jake guy was that he would get up in  
the middle of the night and just come to Sara's aid like this, and without much question. After about 2 hours  
they were finally done. Sara cut the last suture and Jake picked up all the bloody things. The towels and all of  
the supplies putting it all in a garbage bag, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle, handing it to  
Michael.

"This is vicodin. 2 pills a day, it will last him about a month." Jake said as he got up, taking the garbage bag  
with him.

"Thank you." Michael said. "For everything."

"I'll get rid of this." He said nodding as he walked out the door with Sara behind him.

"Thank you. And thank you for this."

He nodded before opening his mouth. "Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into here?"

"Yeah I do."

"You're aiding and abetting 2 criminals. Criminals who are 2 of the 8 most wanted men in America right now."

"I made and choice, and I'm living with it. Thank you for doing this, but you need to leave now." He nodded. 

"You were never here, and I never called you. And if anyone asks, last time you spoke to me was a month  
ago."

"Yeah." He looked toward the hallway. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay," He lowered his voice. "or call the cops."

"No. I've got this. Now go." She said as she leaned over and gave him a hug, kissing him on the cheek.

"Take care of yourself." He said and he was gone.

Sara locked the door behind him, and walked back into the bedroom to find that Michael had moved Lincoln further up on the bed. Then Michael sat down next to him on the bed, and took his hand in his.

"You can't die on me, not like this Link. Not like this." Michael whispered, but it was loud enough for Sara to  
hear.

"He's going to be ok Michael."

Michael turned around to see Sara watching him. He nodded and smiled at her. "I don't even know how to  
thank you."

"You don't have to." She said shaking her head.

"No, I do, and I owe you everything."

"Michael, now is not a good time for this. You should get some rest."

"I don't want to leave him."

"I have to monitor him anyway, so you're free. Get some rest."

"Are you sure about this?" He asked.

"Yeah. The best I can do is a couch."

"That's more than enough." Michael said as he slowly got up. He walked toward the door then looked back at  
Lincoln. Sara looked up from where she was standing by Lincoln's bed checking his pulse and looked up at him.

"Go get some rest."

"Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

About an hour later Sara got up from her chair leaving her book behind and walked out of the bedroom in search for a drink. When she walked into the living room she was surprised to find Michael sitting up on the couch, wearing just a wife beater with his suit pants, the dress shirt draped over the arm of the couch, his face in his hands. Michael looked up upon hearing footsteps and stared at Sara.

"What are you still doing up?" She asked coming closer to him and taking a seat on the coffee table across from him. Her knees now dangerously close to Michael's. She heard a voice telling her to walk away and stay away from him, but there was something pulling her to him, and whatever that was, was a lot stronger.

"Just thinking." Michael said, avoiding her eye.

"About what?" She asked, not being able to control herself, needing to know what he was thinking.

"Just wondering how my life got here." He sighed again and looked at Sara giving her a ruesome smile. "I was a structural engineer, lived the perfect life, in the perfect loft, and then somehow I get myself thrown in Fox River to break Lincoln out, to save him. And because of me so many people that I care about end up killed or hurt."

"You were doing what you thought was right." She said. Sara noticed his hands weren't keeping still and

without thinking she lay one of her hands on top of his, stilling them. Michael looked up at her, as he moved  
his hands so that hers were between both of his.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Sara smiled weakly. "Well you showed up on my doorstep with your bleeding brother, what did you think I would do? Shut the door in both your faces?" She paused when she saw he looked down. "You must not have otherwise you wouldn't have come here."

"I came because I didn't have a choice. I didn't want to involve you further." He said shaking his head, his  
eyes pleading with hers for understanding.

Sara pulled her hand out of his and stood up. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you've done a poor job of that."

"I know." Michael said, sitting up and turning to see her. "And if I could do it all over..."

"Then you would do the exact same thing." She said interrupting him.

"There was no other choice, I had a key but then you had the locks changed..."

"Oh, so it's my fault." Sara asked turning back to him, raising her voice.

"No. That's not what I meant." Michael said, standing up and lowering his voice.

"Fine you know what, you tried to not get me to open that door, fine, what about everything else?" Michael looked down, anywhere but at her. "Look at me." Michael raised his head and looked at her slowly. "What about everything until that night? The looks, the flirtation, saving me, kissing me..." The last part coming out a bit choked. "was that not trying to get me involved?"

"Look, then truth is I was acting through some of it. Some flirtations and looks, at first it was an act, I needed you to like me, so that I could maybe convince you to talk to your father as a plan B. I didn't plan on falling for you. I didn't think I'd enjoy our little talks and looks. I didn't plan on saving you the day of the riot, but I saw you there, and I didn't want you to die because of something I did."

"What are you talking about, something you did?"

"I started that riot." Sara's mouth flew open and she leaned against the wall behind her for support. "I started that riot, because I needed time to work without worrying about making it back in time for count."

"Oh my G-d."

"I didn't know what I was starting and I feel guilty every day, but when I saw you on that monitor I knew that I had to save you. And I did."

"Oh G-d, Michael." Sara said shaking her head bringing her hand up to her forehead.

"But that kiss." Michael said pausing and Sara looked up at him. "That wasn't an act."

Sara sighed and bit her lip. "You kissed me to get the key, only you didn't have a chance to because I pulled away faster than you expected."

"That's not true. I did not walk in there to kiss you that day." Michael said raising his voice, for the second time in the time they've known each other.

"And I'm supposed to believe that after..."

"Yes."

Sara bit down on her lip as a tear rolled down her cheek. Michael took a step closer to her but stopped when  
he saw she backed herself even farther into the wall. "That kiss was real, and it wasn't the only thing." Sara kept looking down, away from him, her eyes closed as another tear rolled down her cheek. Michael stepped closer and reached his hand to her cheek, wiping the tear gently. To his surprise, Sara's reaction was to lean into his hand. She pulled her hand up to cover his and kissed it, just like the day in the infirmary.

"It won't always be like this." He whispered and Sara chuckled through her tears, and looked up at him.

"Promise me that."

"I promise." Michael said, as he slowly leaned down, moving his mouth closer to hers all the while keeping his  
eyes on her. He saw her eyes were closed and she was inching up to him too.

"Ohhh." Was the sound they heard coming from the bedroom and they both pulled apart. Michael sighed in   
frustration and looked at Sara, and she smiled up at him.

"I should go check on him." She said as she stepped around Michael.

"I'm gonna kill him as soon as we can walk." Michael mumbled, but it was loud enough for Sara to hear,  
because she turned around and smiled.

"Lincoln." Sara asked, trying to get his attention, she looked back up at Michael, while checking his pulse.

"He's out, must have been a response to pain, and his pulse is fine."

"Good." Michael said, walking up to Sara. "Thank you, for all of this." He reached out his hand and she put her hand in his.

"You should still try to get some sleep." Michael nodded, then smiled as he looked toward the door. "Come with me."

"Alright now, I'm already letting you sleep here, that doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with you." Sara said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about, but I was talking about just sleep. I mean you know this is a  
new place, so, there could be all kinds of monsters in those closets." Michael said smiling at her.

"I thought you liked to face the monsters on your own." Sara said rising her eyebrow.

"Maybe I changed my mind."

Sara looked around the room for a second then back at Michael and nodded softly, a smile immediately appeared on his face, as he led her out of the bedroom and into the living room. Michael paused by the couch and sat down Sara standing in front of him, still holding onto his hand. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed her hand. She smiled as she sat down next to him.

Michael took his free hand and moved the hair on her cheek behind her ear as he leaned in to kiss her forehead, and her eyes went shut, breathing in deeply. The next kiss was on her mouth. Light and sweet, no pressure or hurry, unlike in the infirmary. Sara's hands went to Michael's neck, her thumbs rubbing his cheeks, and she opened her mouth to him. He pulled back slowly and leaned his forehead against hers. "And that wasn't an act either."

Sara smiled and shook her head. "It better not have been."

"Come here." Michael said as he lay back and pulling Sara along with him. Sara's head was on his shoulder, one of her hands resting on his chest, as she closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness, knowing this may very well be the last time she ever sees him.

It was almost 8 by the time Sara woke up, to her surprise by herself. She noticed a blanket was draped over her, and there was a folded piece of paper on her coffee table with a paper rose next to it. It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was both from.

_Dear Sara,_

I know nothing will ever suffice as a thank you for saving my and my brother's life, for the second time. I wish there was something I could say to make it better, but I promise you, there will be a time when it will be better, when we can be together.

There is a plan to make all of it right, although the plan will have to be revealed in due time. For now, you're just gonna have to trust me. I'll contact you as soon as it's a little safer, I promise. For your own safety it may be best to burn this letter, I think we both know why.

Always,  
Michael

P.S. Maybe we'll meet again, $20 a night, hammock on the back deck, beers are $ .50, $.25 at happy hour. And by the way, what happened to all the clutter?


End file.
